Railroad tie



Nov. 2'17, 1923 1,475,299

P. J. HARRlG-ANl RAILROAD TIE Filed May 5, 1923 V (mm/l,

INVENTOR. BITE/MJ." #ARR/@AN ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov, 27, 1923.

UNITED STATESA PATRICK J. HARRIGAN, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAILROAD TIE.

Application filed May 5, 1923. Serial No. 686,803.

provements in Railroad Ties, of which the:

following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in railroad ties and more particularly to a metallic tie in combination with'means for securing the rails thereon. f

It is an object of this' invention to provide a metallic tie for light weight rails such as are used in narrow gauge railroads of the character employed in making surface eX- cavations, in mines and other temporary and permanent uses. It is a further object to provide such a tie with rail looking or securing means co-operating therewith which will firmly secure the rails the desired distance apart and prevent their spreading thereafter. It is also an object of this invention to provide a rail securing means which'may be readily tightened by the track inspector without the use of special tools.

The advantages of this invention are numerous. The tie is a strip of light weight metal that is turnedback upon itself along each side, imparting additional strength and rigidity, and can be formed continuously and cut into the desired lengths. 'Ihe tie can be adaptedto secure the rails thereon at whatever spacing desired and when the rails are so secured, the securing means may be readily tightened should any of them become loose by the travel of cars upon the rails. Furthermore, the rail securing means maybe detached from engagement with the tie should it be desired to remove the rail or change the adjustment with but little diiliculty and without the necessity of special tools.

vWith these and other objects in View, reference is made to the accompanying vsheet of drawing, on which like reference characters refer to like parts, illustrating thel Figure Bis a View similar to Figure 1 of i a modified form of this invention. f Figure 4 is a top plan view of Figure 3.

In both forms illustratedthe tie lfcomf prises a strip of light weight metal slightly longer than the distancebetweenouter edges of the flanges of the rails when in their def' l sired position. The lside edges throughout their length are flanged upwards and then l uniformly bent over ltowards each other until parallel to the Amain body of the tie.y This flanging and bending the sides of the tie adds greatly to its strength and rigidity. The rails are supported upon the bent over portion 2 of the side flanges of the tie.

In Figures l and 2, the outward movement of the rails is limited by cutting the flanged sides 2'of the tie along the bend and then turning the metal of the separated fiat portions 3 back towards the center of the tie to engage the outer flanges o-f the rails 4- on each end of the tie and thereby `limit their outward movement. To secure the rails in this position two metallic lock members 5 are inserted,before the rails are placed in position, between the turned over sides 2 of the tie. Each of these members 5 is rectangular in sha-pe and of sufHcient width to enter under the bent over sides and slide over the main body ofthe tie. Each member is cut on each side of the center line in the direction away'from thev rail theyare to engage and the central portion 6 between the cuts is struck up at an angle to project between and above the bent over sides 2' toy engage the upper surface ofthe vinner edges of the bottom flanges of the respectiveiails. The top surface of each lock member under the bent over. Ysides 2vr roughened or knurled.

The lock members are arranged at a 'disltance from the rail stops 3 at the ends of the tie, the rails are placed upon the tie and lmoved outward to engage the end stops, the

lock members are moved over towards the rails, by hand orby a hammer, and when they engage the inner edges of the rail flanges and hold the outer edges ofy said flanges in engagementwith end stops, the flat bent over side portion 2 of the tie on each side is given several blows with a hainmerto` force the under surface thereof into contact and engagement with the upper saw` toothed, roughened or knurled surface yof the lock member, as shown at 7 and thereby isV saw toothed,-

prevent movement of the lock members and the rails are securely 'fastened in place. Should the lock members become' disengaged from the tie, a few blows from a. hammer upon the upper surfaces of the bent over sides will again cause their engagement with the tie. To detach the lock members, the bent over sidesl of the tie are raised Vfrom engagement by inserting a chisel or other wedge between the upper surface of the lock member and the bent over sides of the tie along the points of contact therebetween and forcing the chisel or wedge'therebetween by blows from a hammer.

The form illustrated in Figures 3 and Il' differs in that outer look members 8 are emploved in place ofthe integral end stops 3 on the tie. In this form the inner lock members 5-are of the same construction and operation as the onesabove described. The

outer lock members 8 are of the same general construction being of rectangular form adapted to slide over the main body of the tie under the bent over sides.V In this case each one is'cut on each side of the center line on the ends furthest away from each other and the central portion 9 between the cuts struck up at an angle to project between and above the bent over sides and they are bent back upon themselves to: engage the upper surfaces of the outer edges of the rail flanges, as shown. In this type of lock member each is preferably formed with a central tongue l() extending beyond the inner end which is of sufficient width and lengthy to enter between the side members of the inner locking members 5 on each side of the struck up rail flange engaging portion to align the rail engaging portions of each locking member on each side of the rail.

In this form the rails are laid -upon the tie the desired distance apart andthe inner locking members moved to engage therewith, and the outer locking men'lbcrs are in serted on the tie, if not already there, and moved into engagement with the outer flanges'of the rail and both are secured in locked position by blows of a hammer upon the bent over sides of the tie on each side of the rail forcing the sides in engagement with the upper roughened surfaces of the locking members 5 and 8, as at 7 and l1. Both locking members may be disengaged from the tie, asv above described in connection with the other form, and the spacing of the rails changed, if desired. Rails of differL eut widths have base flanges of dierent widths andby providing both locking members for each rail, adjustable, various types of rails are readily secured in place and atV anyV desired distance apart for different gauge tracks as well as on. switch ties where additional locking members are pro-vided for the additional switch rails. If either of the locking members should l become loose-ned from any cause they may be readily secured again by the use of a hammer. If desired in this form both locking members for each rail may be inserted upon the tie and then the bent over sides of the tie at each end crimped or bent towards each other so that the tie and locking members may be transported as a complete unit ready to receive and secure the rails. l

What I claim is:

l. A metallic railroad tie having bent over side'portions with rail engaging stops at each end and inner rail locking members slidably mounted upon the tie under t-he bent over portions, said bent over portions adapted to be engaged with and secure said locking members upon the tie.

' 2. A metallic ailroad tie having bent over side portions, rail engaging stops ladjacent each end of the. tie, rail locking members therebetween slidably mounted upon the tie under the bent over sides having a roughened upper surface adapted to be engaged by the bent over portions and secure the said members against movement upon the tie.

3. A metallic railroad tie having bent over side portions lthroughout its length, rail locking members arranged in pairsfor each rail slidably mounted upon the tie under the bent over side portions, each lockingmember having a struck up tongue extending between and above the bent over side portions adapted to engage the bare flanges of the rails, said bent over side portions adapted to be forced into engagement with said locking members and secure them to the tie.

4. A metallic railroad tie having bent over side portions throughout its length, rail locking members arranged in pairsslidably mounted between the body of the tie and bent over portions, each pair of locking members having struck up tongues adapted to engage the opposite edges of the base flange of a rail and eachpair of locking members provided with means aligning the' tongues on opposite sides of a rail` said bent llO over side portions ad( pted to be forced into engagement with the locking members and secure them to the tie.

5. A metallic railroad tie having bent over side portions throughout its length anda plurality of pairs of locking members for securing a plurality of rails to the tie, slidably mounted under Vthe bent overside portions of the tie, each locking member having a. struck up port-ion between the bent over sides of the tie adapted to enga-ge a base flange of a rail and portions extending un-` der said bent over sides and adapted to be secured to the tie by forcing the said bent over side into engagement therewith. 

